Outside, Looking In
by Wingwyrm
Summary: Will Lennox and Ironhide find out that Sam's been hurt and Will does something about it.
1. Part the First

**Title**: Outside, Looking In

**Author**: Wingwyrm

**Summery**: Will Lennox and Ironhide find out that Sam's been hurt.

**Note**: Posted originally at BeeXSam on LJ. -Minor edits done on June 24/10.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing (that you recognize).

**:::Part the First:::**

Captain Will Lennox of the United States Army cocked his head to the side. There was a 2008 black Topkick pick up with an eight inch lift in his driveway. He'd never owned a truck like that. And it had been almost three months since the whole 'Autobots and Allspark adventure' as he liked to put it.

But he still remembered everyone. The occasional email from Sam didn't hurt.

"Ironhide?"

_**"Optimus Prime asked me to retrieve you."**_

"What's wrong?" Even as he was talking, Will was getting into Ironhide and slamming the door shut. He knew that Prime wouldn't send anyone to get him unless there was a real problem. Prime understood boundaries... unlike Ironhide or Bumblebee.

_**"Sam is in a medical facility. Humans hurt him."**_ Ironhide roared out of the driveway, his voice low and taunt, as though about to go into a homicidal rage at any time.

"Shit! What happened?" Will wanted to grab the wheel and speed off to the hospital, but knew that Ironhide would get him there as fast as possible. Besides, Will didn't know which hospital they were going to.

_**"Bumblebee called out to us that he found Sam just outside of the football field. He believes Sam was badly beaten by several assailants."**_

"God damn it," Will cursed and shook his head. "How's Bumblebee taking this?"

_**"Bumblebee is very angry. As am I,"**_ Ironhide revved his engine, his anger very evident. By the time that Ironhide reached the hospital, Will had all the information anyone had about Sam's condition. Ironhide's disdain for the wireless hospital security was clearly evident.

"I'll come back and tell you everything." The Captain jumped from the drivers seat, while Ironhide was in the middle of stopping and raced into the hospital. "Ma'am, where's Sam Witwicky's room?"

"Room 208. Up the stairs..." But Will was already gone, not waiting for the elevator, running up the stairs.

Mikaela was standing outside one of the rooms, looking in through the rectangle of glass.

"Mikaela?"

Mikaela turned and threw herself into his arms. Will made sure to catch her securely as she burst into tears. "They beat him up! Because I was going out with him instead of one of the team!"

Ah fuck. Will tucked her head under his chin and shuffled them over so that he could look in on his friend. "Damn it."

Sam's face was black and blue with bruises, an oxygen mask over his face, and several stitches visible on one of his arms where Will could see he'd try to defend himself. Sam's other arm was in a bright, white new cast.

"I..." Mikaela let go of Will and took two steps away. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to.."

"Mikaela, it's alright. I'm here for Sam and for you."

The beautiful young woman nodded, "God, I have to tell Bee that he'll be okay... Could you, would you tell the others? That Sam's going to be okay? Bee is freaking right out."

"Yeah, I can do that Mikaela. Go make sure Bumblebee doesn't come around and scare everyone, okay?" Will knew that Bumblebee was a soldier. He didn't always think before he acted. That was one of the things that made sentient beings good soldiers. In the back of his mind he wondered when he'd started to classify humans and Autobots under 'sentient' instead of 'human' and 'alien'. He shoved that thought to the side though; there were more important things going on at the moment.

Mikaela hugged him again, kissed his cheek and shot off down the corridor. Will smiled faintly. She knew as well as he did that Bumblebee wasn't just going to sit around and wait for news on Sam.

"Uh, Mr Witwicky?" The doctor frowned and Will smirked. No wonder the doc was confused, Will didn't look anywhere near old enough for Sam to be his son.

"No, I'm Captain William Lennox. I haven't see Sam's parents yet." He frowned at the sudden thought. He _hadn't_ seen Mr or Mrs Witwicky yet. They should have been the first ones contacted about Sam.

"Ah, well. Captain Lennox, I really can't tell you anything without the Witwicky's permission, but you can wait for them if you'd like."

"May I go inside? Talk to Sam?"

"He's unconscious right now; we have him on some pretty powerful painkillers, but if you want, go ahead."

"Thanks Doc." Will entered the room with a cordial nod to the doctor as he slipped past him. He took his time cataloguing the injuries that he saw. Split lip, black eyes, a couple of butterfly bandages over his left eyebrow. There were the stitches on one arm and the cast on the other. "They worked you over good Kid," Will sat on the hard green plastic chair, "I'm gonna wait here with you until your parents come, and then I'm gonna go talk to the Autobots. Prime is worried. He made Ironhide come and get me. Apparently Bumblebee was pretty panicky when he found you."

Sam just slept.

**:::TBC:::**


	2. Part the Second

Title: Outside, Looking In

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**:::Part the Second:::**

Will leaned against Ironhide as he sighed, "Sam's going to be fine you guys." He was still a little intimidated by the three twenty foot or taller Autobots towering over him but didn't let it show, "He's got a broken arm and some stitches. He did need surgery to stop the internal bleeding in his abdomen, but he'll be okay."

The largest of the Autobots knelt in the grass by him and held his hand out, "You are sure?"

"Yeah Prime, Sam'll be okay. He just needs a little time to heal." Will stepped onto the offered hand and felt the air move around him as he was lifted to chest level with the Autobots. He only glanced down once.

Damn. It was a long way down.

"I am worried about him Will."

"I know you are Prime, but he'll be okay. I promise you." Will shrugged, "When he gets out of the hospital, you're all going to have to be very careful with him, but he'll be back to normal soon."

Ratchet spoke up, "I am worried about Bumblebee. He reacts as Mikaela about this. Should either of them have a mind too, they could find and punish the perpetrators."

"They must be punished," Ironhide growled and Will held up his hands.

"Whoa, stop right there Ironhide. Everyone here knows that whoever did this must be punished, however, I am not going to let any one of us become vigilantes. Mikaela and Bumblebee will restrain themselves and so will you." He stared hard at the weapons specialist until the autobot nodded to him, "Good. The cops will take the case. They'll find out who did this."

"And if they decide that this matter is not important enough to warrant their full attention..." Ironhide crossed his arms as best he could and Will smirked at him with grim humor.

"If that happens, the Mayor, the police commissioner and the station Lieutenant will all get a phone call or two from the Air Force, the SecDef and possibly even the President, should he be told that the kid who saved the world isn't getting any help."

"As it should be." Prime let Will climb up onto his shoulder, "I believe that we should do anything we can for Bumblebee and Mikaela."

"Good plan Prime." Will agreed absently as he looked around at the view he had from where he was. This was the first time that he'd been this high up, the first time that he'd been held up _this_ high by one of the Autobots. It was exciting. He could see for miles. "Oh, hey, you know that call that you sent out to the other Autobots?" Prime turned his head to look at Will and the Air Force officer was surprised at how expressive the bio-mech's face was this close up.

"Yes."

"Well, you are going to introduce us when they get here, right?"

"Yes." Prime smiled and Will had to smile back. This was totally ridiculous his standing on the shoulder of a twenty-five foot robot, who was smiling at him.

"Sounds good." The rumbling of an Autobot pretending to be a 2009 Camaro made Will stare down to the dirt road. "Bumblebee!"

"Captain!" Mikaela exited from the drivers seat and Bumblebee transformed into his standing form.

"Captain." The soldier bowed his head to Prime and Will then picked Mikaela up in his hand "Mikaela told me that Sam will recover."

Absolutely bowled over that Bumblebee was speaking with his voice syntheser instead of the radio, Will blinked, "Uh, yeah. He's recovering and should be out and about in a couple of days." Will watched Mikaela almost cuddle into Bumblebee's palm.

"Good." The yellow-ish Autobot turned and walked to the side of the cliff, sitting down and dangling his legs over the edge. Mikaela slid from his hand to his thigh and rested there, seemingly perfectly content with Bumblebee.

The only thing missing was Sam. Will felt a wave on sympathy for Mikaela, knowing how it felt to be separated from his loved ones. "Hey, guys? Lets give them some time alone, alright?" He barely whispered the request, but the others agreed silently and moved away. Prime set Will down and they all transformed into their chosen vehicle form.

_**Ironhide, take Will, Ratchet will go to the hospital and I will watch over our friends.**_ Prime drove off to the side, far enough away from the two at the cliff as to not bother them, but close enough to offer support.

**_Come on Cap. Where do you want to go?_** Ironhide's driver's door swung open and Will hauled himself up into the seat.

"I'd like to go home. See Sarah and Bella." Before closing the door, Will leaned out, "I'll see you later Ratchet."

**_Good bye Will._**

**:::TBC:::**


	3. Part the Third

Title: Outside, Looking In

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**:::Part the Third:::**

Will was there with Ironhide when Mikaela and Bumblebee picked Sam up from the hospital. The poor kid was escorted to the door in a wheelchair where Mikaela was on him in a second, throwing her arms around him, "God Sam. Let's get you home." Will stepped forward, willing to help Sam stand, but Sam shook his head at him.

"It's okay Will." He hauled himself to his feet and Mikaela steady him.

"You sure you're gonna be alright Sam?" Will was worried. Sam was almost like a little brother to him. But Will remembered what he'd said to Sam during the battle with Megatron. _'You're a soldier now.'_ It had been a rotten thing to say, but it had gotten the kid running.

"Yeah. Bee and Mikaela will take care of me."

"Well, if you don't mind, Ironhide and I will follow you home." Ironhide rumbled in agreement and Will looked around the parking lot with concern. Hopefully no one heard him.

Bumblebee purred as soon as Sam laid a hand on him and the kid chuckled, "Yeah Bee, I'm back. Let's go home, kay?"

The radio spun to life and Will heard strains of music before Ironhide closed the door on him. "Hey. What's up Ironhide?"

_**What Bumblebee and Sam have are private Cap.**_ Ironhide pulled in close behind Bumblebee as they got onto the road.

"Okay." Will wondered about that. Apparently Ironhide knew something and wasn't telling. The drive to the Witwicky house was quiet, the only exception of Ironhide growling a time or two at other vehicles trying to cut in between himself and Bumblebee.Will had to repress a smirk when that happened. The weapons specialist had a protective thing about Bumblebee and Sam.

As Will was getting out of the drivers seat, his cell started to ring. He flipped it open after seeing the SecDef's personal number flashing. "Captain Lennox."

"Captain, this is the Secretary of Defense, John Keller." Will resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Of course it was, Keller had given him his number after he'd handed in his AAR. "One of the satellites just picked up a meteor with similar metallic structure as the Autobots."

"Sir." Well, now Will had to talk to Prime. After seeing Sam safely inside.

"Landing Zone has been established, coordinates have been sent. Get there with one of the Autobots before contact."

"Yes sir." Will waited until he heard the click of a hung up phone and put his cell back into his pocket. "Shit. Ironhide, could you call Prime and get him to meet us at the point?"

**_Sure Cap._**

Jogging over to Sam and Mikaela, making sure to stay on the freaking path, Will pulled to a stop, "Hey guys, I have to go, there might be some more autobots incoming." Sam blinked.

"Uh. Will? Be careful, okay?" Sam surprised Will with an one armed hug, "I don't want you dying. We already lost Jazz."

"Sam, It's an Autobot."

"It might be a Decepticon."

Great, pass on the paranoia to the next generation Will. The captain knew that it was his own damn fault for making Sam think like that. "It'll be okay. Prime and Ironhide are going with me. We'll see who it is, and if it _is_ a Decepticon, we'll kill the bastard. Ironhide and me took out Blackout, I think we can handle just about anything." He passed Sam back into Mikaela's arms, "You go and rest. I'm sure that you need it."

"Right. Be careful Will."

_**I will make sure he is.**_ The humans could almost hear the smugness that Ironhide infused his words with.

**:::TBC:::**


	4. Part the Fourth

Title: Outside, Looking In

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**:::Part the Fourth:::**

Without his mind really on what was going on with the new Autobots, Will hadn't even caught their names, Optimus Prime had Ironhide take him back to Sam's.

_**Cap.**_ Ironhide suddenly revved his engine halfway between the lookout and Sam's house _**The police just filed a report about apprehending two teenagers who were involved with the assault on Sam.**_

"Take me to the station Ironhide." Will was pissed. Sinfully gleeful that he was going to get a crack at the assholes who'd hurt Sam, but still pissed. Ironhide screeched around a corner and Will forced himself to calm down. "Are there names?"

_**Trent Ement and Robert Sloan.**_

"Perfect." Will climbed down from the drivers seat, letting Ironhide find a place to park. He was in to much of a hurry to worry about how it would look.

"I need to speak with the detectives in charge of Sam Witwicky's case." The desk sergeant raised an eyebrow, but as soon as Will shoved his Army ID under his nose he closed his mouth. "Now."

"Detective Reimer is in charge of that case."

"Where is he?"

"Interrogation room three." As Will moved away, the sergeant leaned over the desk, "Sir! Sir, you can't go in there!"

"Yes I can." Will sneered. He had a neat little paper in his back pocket that let him do anything he wanted. It was better then the badges that Sector Seven had had. With this, he could do anything. He could probably get away with making Ement and Sloan have an accident.

In the interrogation room. With witnesses.

Taking a few moments to look through the glass window, Will rolled his head, cracking his neck. Lovely.

Lawyers.

He loved fucking with lawyers.

Centering himself, Will took a deep breath and burst into the room.

"Who the hell..."

"Captain William Lennox. I'm here to question these... upstanding citizens."

"These boys have done no wrong..."

"Listen Mr..."

"Daws" The lawyer had slicked back hair and Will could guess that he was expensive.

Didn't matter.

"Daws. I'm here with on the President's command. Sam Witwicky did him and Secretary of Defense Keller a personal favor. They want whoever assaulted Sam," Will sent the two boys a cockeyed smirk, "punish. I'm here to see to that."

Reimer backed away. "Hey, Captain, when you're done, let me know. I'll come back for what's left of them."

"Sure Detective." Will turned back to the expensive lawyer, "Mr Daws, if you don't think I have the authority to do whatever needs to be done I'll give you the Secretary's personal number. I'm not sure that you want to call him right now though. It is a Saturday. he's probably golfing." The Ranger shrugged, "Hell, for all you know, he might be in town visiting Sam." Daws blinked a little. "Right. How about you just leave now. I'll just get to this."

Both boys were shaking when he slid towards them. Ement tried to cover his fear with bravado, "Hey man! We didn't do nothing!"

"Right." The door made a tiny click when the lawyer left and Ement started to sweat. "So, why don't you tell me exactly what you had in mind for Sam then. You know, when you beat the shit out of him."

"Hey, all we were doing was teaching the piece of shit a lesson!" Sloan babbled, "We didn't hurt him! All we did was rough him up a little, make him know that he shouldn't mess with us!"

"Okay," Will half sat on the table, "This is the way I see it going down. First, you get charged for attempted murder. Second or Third degree. If Mikaela hadn't found him in the football field, he would have died." Will couldn't very well tell them that Sam's car had found him, "You'll get tried as adults and go to, if I get my say in things - and I will - a max sec prison for twenty to life. You might get out after eight years on parole." Will let out a smile, his eyes sharp, "If you live that long."

"Hey! We didn't try to kill him! Swear to GOD man!" Ement threw his hands wide and Will pounced, getting right into his personal space.

"You did it because you want Mikaela. You fucked with the wrong person you idiot. Sam's got the Army, the Air Force, The SecDef and the President behind him. If you ever get out of the black little hole we put you in, you'll regret it."

"Man, I don't wanna go to prison! You gotta get me a deal!"

"Sloan, I don't give deals. You'll get the same as your brain dead friend here." Will turned his back on them, heading slowly to the door. He hoped as hard as hell that one of them, or both, would be stupid enough to try and attack him.

His prayers were answered. As soon as he felt the arms go around his waist in a football tackle he twisted his waist, making sure to land on the idiot, cracking ribs with his elbow. He was a trained Ranger. Ement, as he saw the blond hair, didn't stand a chance.

Sloan cowered in his chair when Will stood up from the floor, Ement's blood sprayed in a fine mist over his shirt. "Are you as stupid as him?"

"N...n...no..."

"Good boy." Stepping over the still breathing body, Will exited the room. Reimer was staring at him in astonishment. "You might want to call an ambulance or something for the asshole. He'll probably live, but you might not want to take the chance."

**:::TBC:::**


	5. Part the Last

Title: Outside, Looking In

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**:::Part the Last:::**

Ratchet scanned Sam once more.

"Jeeze guy's, it's just a broken arm. It's fine."

"You had internal injuries Sam. We are worried." Will watched from Ironhide's shoulder, smiling freely finally. Ement and Sloan had been arrested under the charge of attempted murder, Sam was up and about and he'd gotten a call earlier in the day that his beautiful kid had rolled over, all on her own.

"Hey Will, can you get Ratchet to back off?" Sam rested on Bumblebee's hand, curled up with Mikaela. Will tried not to think of how that worked. A threesome. With an alien robot...

"No can do Sam! Ratchet is his own Autobot, he doesn't listen to me."

"Man, what good are you then?" Sam's smirk made Will flip the kid the finger in jest and both Mikaela and Bumblebee laughed. "Hey, Ironhide, what's up with the sticker?"

Ironhide growled, "Cap decided that I needed a... _warning_ for other humans." Said bumper sticker was stuck to his right chest plate, which was, when he was a truck, his right front bumper.

_Don't FUCK With Us_

In pink, no less.

"You couldn't find another color?" Sam struggled not to laugh, his ribs still tender.

Will smirked. "I liked this one."

"You just got that one to piss Ironhide off, didn't you?"

"You know it." Ironhide swung his huge head to look at Will and the Ranger was glad he wasn't on the ground. Ironhide probably would have gotten out his canons. Then Ironhide just smiled. "What?" Paranoia wasn't just for battle.

"I think that I will tell Sarah about this."

"Ha! Sarah doesn't know you're a giant alien robot." Will laughed, "First you'd have to tell her that!"

"I have wireless capabilities. I am more then able to use the phone."

"Err." Will paused. That was true. The irony then was that his cell rang. With a glare at Ironhide he answered, "Lennox."

"Captain Lennox. This is Keller. Do you have the names of the two Autobots that arrived last week?"

"Yes Sir." He'd made sure to get all the information from Optimus Prime after he'd gotten himself under control. "Hammertread and Sunraider. Prime is getting them settled. Epps is helping out with the rest of the team." 'The rest of the team' being the survivors of the Qatar attack. They had been drafted as the 'Ambassadors' to the Autobots, since they had the most exposure them.

"Good. Anything goes wrong, it'll be your problem."

"Yes sir."

Keller hung up and Will shook his head. From what he'd been told about Hammertread and Sunraider, there wouldn't be any problems. Catching sight of Sam and Mikaela he grinned. They were kissing. The look on Bumblebee's face was pretty funny itself. He looked a little disturbed by the exchange of fluid, but he didn't look away.

God he missed Sarah. "Ratchet, I think I'm going to go now. Sam's alright, the perps where caught. I need to see my wife. It's been a week."

"Of course Will." Ratchet poked Ironhide in the side, "Take the Captain home Ironhide."

"Sure." Will jumped to Ironhide's hand then to the ground and waited for the Autobot to transform. Mikaela surprised him by hugging him again.

"Hey. Thanks Will."

Two more arms joined hers and Will felt a sense of pride, "Yeah. Thanks for coming Will."

"I'll always be here if you need me guys." Will kissed Mikaela's forehead, ruffled Sam's hair and untangled himself from their hug. Climbing into Ironhide's driver's seat he leaned out the window, "You know my number. Call me. Email me. Keep me in the loop. And when you three get married, I'll be best man!"

The giggling from the teenage woman barely reached him as Ironhide took off. Will promised to himself that he would always hold onto the memory of the look on Sam and Bumblebee's faces.

**:::Finis:::**


End file.
